A woman yesterday lost a claim for almost HK$1 million in damages from a firm that sells exercise equipment.

Huang Neeracha had sought HK$968,000 from Osim for injuries allegedly sustained while she was trying out an iGallop exercise machine and uZap belt in 2006.

District Court Judge Clement Lee Hing-nin dismissed the claim, saying he did not find her honest or reliable. 'If the plaintiff felt seriously unwell after trying the first machine, there is no reasonable explanation for her request to use the slimming belt.'

Huang claimed she felt unwell after using the exercise machine at Osim's Telford Plaza branch in September 2006, blaming staff negligence. After using the toner belt, she said she felt nauseous. She later consulted a doctor complaining of shoulder and neck pains.

She said the incident had caused her distress, which led to the break-up of her family.

Osim had called a doctor as a witness who examined Huang and studied X-ray evidence. He said her injuries could not have been sustained in a single incident and concluded that they appeared to be the result of years of wear and tear.

The judge also questioned why Huang did not consult a doctor until three days after the incident.